Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG)

In News: There was an attack on the Punjab Police’s Intelligence headquarters in Mohali

• The weapon recovered after the attack was identified as a Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG)

What is the Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG)?

• The RPG is a weapon of Soviet origin, and its initials stand for Rucknoy Peotivotankovvy Granaromyot, which roughly translated means a handheld anti-tank grenade launcher.
• It is a portable, shoulder fired weapon, which is easy to operate and can cause widespread damage whether used in an anti-personnel mode, against armoured vehicles or against buildings.
• There are different versions of the RPG which are designed as per the usage of the weapon with varying capacity of the warhead, effective range and penetration levels.

Origins of the RPG

• The origins of RPG lie in the various conflicts that have taken place in modern military warfare, dating back to World War I
• RPG has made its presence felt in almost every major insurgency or terrorism-affected region in the world.

Can such weapons be easily procured by terrorists?

• There is a thriving illicit market for Soviet-origin weapons like the RPG, which are still in circulation worldwide.
• Such weapons are not difficult to procure by arms smugglers, and these then find their way to terrorist organisations
• Eastern European countries, especially those from the former Soviet Union bloc, are well-known markets for the sale and purchase of these weapons.

Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q.1) The term ‘ACE2’ is talked about in the context of

1. genes introduced in the genetically modified plants
2. development of India’s own satellite navigation system
3. radio collar for wildlife tracking
4. spread of viral diseases

Source: Indian Express